Problems · by component
2000 Kia Sportage fuel system, gasoline problems
74 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Kia Sportage cite fuel system, gasoline, 24% of all 304 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
74
24% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the fuel system, gasoline
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“SOME OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING;FUEL TANK LEAK, HEAVY RUST, FRAME RUSTED OUT. TOOK IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP & WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP, TANK&SENSOR REPLACED. PER THE ADVISOR AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP, MY CAR DID PASS INSPECTION IN REGARDS TO THE"EXTENDED WARRANTY"ON THE FUEL TANK.I WAS CHARGED APPROX.$800 FOR THE REPAIRS DUE TO IT BEING ONLY 1 YR PAST THE TIME FOR KIA TO COVER THE REPAIR.I AM UNDER THE MILEAGE.THE KIA DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A LIST OF ADDITIONAL REPAIRS NEEDED. ONE OF THEM BEING"FRAME RUSTED OUT IN REAR REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION"THEY DID NO EXPLAIN ANY OF THIS TO ME! MY CAR STARTED TO JERK&SHAKE WHILE SLOWLY STEPPING ON THE BRAKES AS I PREPARED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT,IT WAS DIFFICULT TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP:'( IT MADE A LOUD NOISE AS IF SOMETHING HAD FALLEN OF MY CAR. PER THE MECHANIC THAT I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO, I NEED TO FIND A GOOD WELDER TO REPAIR ALL OF THIS RUST ASAP. HE STATED THAT THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND THIS CAUSES ME TO HAVE NO CONTROL OF MY CAR. THE KIA DEALERSHIP SOLD ME $800 WORTH OF WORK WHILE KNOWING/NOT TELLING ME THAT MY CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE:( WHO DOES THAT?! I HAVE HAD SO MANY…”
“I OWN A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE AND I HAVE BEEN SMELLING GAS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT MY CAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? *TT”
“BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY.,WHEN YOU STEP ON BRAKE YOU CAN FEEL THE BRAKE OR TIRE SPENDING AND YOUR CAR IS STILL ROLLING WHEN YOUR ARE STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. ENGINE, TURNING THE CAR ENGINE ON AND OFF. WHEN YOU START THE ENGINE THE ENGINES CLICKS BUT DOES NOT START. ITS NOT THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY SEVERAL TIMES BUT STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A GASOLINE ODOR AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED HER THAT THERE WERE HOLES IN HER FUEL TANK AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. UPDATED 10/19/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP IS LEAKING GAS. THE CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER HE WAS OVER THE MILEAGE OR WARRANTY FOR A FREE REPAIR. UPDATED 11/04/11.”
“2000 KIA SPORTAGE NOTICE GAS FUMES, GAS LEAKING AND UNDER SEAT THE TOP PLATE IS LETTING OUT RAW GAS FUMES TO MAKE YOU SICK. I DID RESEARCH AN SEEN A RECALL SC059 MY CARE IS DOING THE SAME THING CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE SHE GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER TO THE KIA DEALER SHE SAID COULDN'T DRIVE CAR HAVE IT TOWED, HAVE JAKE SWEENY TO DIAGNOSE IF THIS IS DOING THE SAME PROBLEMS THE OLD RECALL DID FOR THEM TO CALL HER AND SHE WOULD ASK HER DIST MGR TO LET THIS CAR BE FIX. MY BROTHER IS HANDICAPPED AND HE CALLED THE DEALER AND HE ASK FOR THE VIN NUMBER AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. WE KNOW THERE IS NOT ONE AT THIS MOMENT BUT FOR HIM TO LOOK AT THIS CAR BECAUSE OF IT CAUSING A LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM. I HAVE CASE NUMBER FROM KIA JUST NEED TO GET THE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE CAR THE FUMES ARE MAKING HIM SICK AND NOW THE CHANCE OF THE CARE BLOWING UP. PLEASE HELP ASAP. MILEAGE ON CAR 85,520 I THINK KIA NEEDS TO FIX ALL THESE CARS I HAVE LOOKED ON THE WEB AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I BELIEVE THERE ARE MORE VIN NUMBERS OUT THERE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT KIA IS OVERLOOKING UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT. THANK YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE…”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT SMELLED STRONG FUMES FROM THE GASOLINE TANK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,520. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.”
Showing 6 of 74 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.